System for automatically controlling railway-trains



W. K. HOWE.

SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED 1uLY 21.4915. RENEwEn MAR.21.1919.

1,360,750, l PauaNov. 30,1920.l

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE..

winrar-.or K. nown, or ROCHESTER, YORK, AssIGNon rro GENERAL RAILWAY sIeNAI.r COMPANY, orcATns, Nnwvonxy A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY CGNTROLLING RAILWAY-TRAINS.

To all whom t may concern.'v l 1 Be it known that I, WINTHROr K. Howie, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the cityl of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have in vented a new and useful System for Automatically` Controlling Railway-Trains, of which the following is la specification. y

This invention relates to systems for automatically controlling railway trains, and,

more particularly to such systems in which the movement oi a train is controlled, in some Vappropriate way, by a control-relay carried on the train, the energization or deenergization of said control relay being govcrned by current supplied to the train in accordance with the traffic conditions as said train passes certain points along the track, said controlling current being preferably transmitted to the vehicle by means of contact shoes coperating with ramps or Contact rails located at said oints.

One ot the principal objects of the invention is to devise a system forV automatically controlling railway trains of the character speciiied, which will :permit the use of a-number of motor cars or locomotives equipped with automatic train'control ap-p.v paratus, and which allows the simultaneousV operation of the apparatus on all ot said cars or locomotives without iinpairing the l eihciency of the system, and regardless of the number ot motor cars or locomotives or their positions in the train, or of the length of the blocks or O the train.

further object of the inventionis to devise a system of `automatic train control of .Y

the character specitied, which prevents undue or improper flow of current in case two or more motor cars or locomotives equipped with thetrain control apparatus are included in a train and areprovided with a continuous electrical conductor between them, the distance between said motor cars or locomotives being greater than the length of some of the blocks of the track.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of Y the invention prof gi'esses, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Generally stated, the 'inventionconsists in v providing an automatic cutout device'in the supply wire for each ramp, whereby as soon as current is drawn from one ramp the i'low Specification'rof Letters'lPatent. Patented N0V 30, 192() Application ined .my 27, 1915,' semi No; 42,166.

Renewed March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,637.

of current to the ramp at the entrance to the preceding block will be immediately interrupted. I i

The invention further consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of arts, more fully set forth hereinafter.

n describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawing,

wherein I have illustrated a preferred physical embodiment of my invention, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding part throughout the several nviews, Vand in whichf rllhe figure is a diagrammatic View of a train and a trackway therefor, and shows the parts of an automatic train control sysrail sections thereof quired to obtain the desired spacing of the trains. At the entrance to each block a ramp lt issupported in any suitable manner adjacent to the track, but is insulated from y said track. The current for the circuits of the system along the trackway is supplied from an alternating curient line comprising vwires 4 and 5, which are supplied with alterfnating currentfrom a suitable source, as a generator 6.

The parts associated with each block are 'the same, and the parts and electrical conductors for said parts associated with the `=blocks C and D will be given the same reference characters as the corresponding parts and conductors associated with the block A, with the. distinctive exponents l and 2 added thereto. The normal direction of traiiic is indicated by the arrow X.

Adjacent to the exit end of each block is a track transformer 7, the primary o1' which is. connected to the line wires 4 and r 5, and the secondary of which is connected by conductors 8 and 9 across the track rails l and?, nea: the eXit end of the corresponding block. -Located at the entrance end of each block is a track relay l0, which is 'connccted across the track rails l and 2 by conductorsvll and 12, and which yis provided with two armatures 13 and lll represented .according to the well known convention. A

y transformer 15 is provided for supplying said ramps. Y electrical contact with the ramps R, and also energy tothe ramps R in a way suitable for controlling the movement ot' the trains; and one terminal of the secondary of this transformer 15 is connected by conductors 16 and '8 to the track rail l, said secondary being;` provided with two taps 17 and 18 by means of which suitable voltages necessary for. the proper operation. of thev automatic' trainfcontrol system may be obtained. The circuit vbreaking or interrupting device is showninthe drawing as comprising a'relay A19 having-an armature 20; and for the puirpose `for which thisV relay is used, saidrelay isl preferably constructed so as to be quick acting and its armature and coperating contacts are designed to interrupt compara-v tively klarge currents without injury.

AThe conductors and electrical connections between the different operative parts of' theV automatic train control system which lare located along tlietrackwaywill Inot be described-.in detail since these electrical-connections and the Vdifferent operating circuit-s will be' fully lset orthhereinaftcr in the de-v scription korl the operation. f

'Inl the diagrammatic illustration shown in f the accompanying drawings, the train com-'1 prisesy two pairs of wheels 21-21, 237-423 connected by their corresponding axles 221 and 2a; and these pairs of wheels and axlesarel connected by a bar 25'wh1ch representsv the frame or`r body of the cars or locomotives constituting the train. `The wheels vand axles shown maybej'assumedto represent` those of different motor cars or locomotives, r

each `oli' which is provided withy automatic Y train,controlrap'paratiis. v The tra-in control apparatus associated with-each `motor car or locomotive Visconstructed thesame and a' description -of one will su'ltice for* all. AY i I bracket26 of insulating material is suitably' supported on each' motor car or locomotive,

being shown as mounted uponv one-of' the Vjournal boxes oi' axles; and supported on the bracket 2G is a vertically movable plunger or shoe 27, which is pressed downwardly 'by va spring 28.

lThe shoes 27 are arranged in the same plane yas the ramps R, so that vas the trainpasses' along the track said shoes will `engage The shoes are designed to make to be moved in a wayto actuate'a circuit controlling device and interrupt a normally closed circuit on the train. Tov perform .the

i latterfunctions. the shoe is shown provided with a button 29 of insulating material,

which is varranged to engage the underside of a contact spring 30 and litt said contacty spring out; of contact with a contact member31 whenever the shoe 27 is raised.v

n a suitable sourceot1 curi-ent,jcarried on the kcuit e The automatic control of the train is ob tained by the operation of a suitable train control apparatus which is designed generally Vinthe diagrammatic illustration by the vreference character K. This device K may be of any construction, and since it forms novpart of the present invention, and since various devices well known in the art possess its necessary functions,'the detail construction of this device K will not be here- :Klis restoredf to i-ts normal or idle condi- Y tion when` renergized- The denergiZat-ion and renergization ofthe device K'iscontrolledby thev arma-ture 340i'V a control relay 32 carriedbythe train, andfwhen said control relay 32-1senerg1zed and its armature 34ffis raised,the device'Kj'is energized fromY traiinas'a battery 35, according to thc'ffollowing circuit:

A Circuit Number Battery 35,fconductor- 3G,l device K,con` ductor 37', `armature3{l of thev control relay 32V in its upperposition, and conductor 33 back tothe battery 35'.'V Y

Y`Wlien-theshoe 27isin its lower position with'4 current`V from al localbattery `39 carried by the train according to the following cir- Y* 0z'rczdtNucnJcrT/w0. i From the; battery 39, conductor 40, relay 32, conductors 41 and 42,1armature 33 of the relay 32 in its upper position, conductor 43, contact spring l30, contact Vmember 31," and Y conductors 4:4 and 4:5 back to the battery The `control f relay 32V is' also controlled by an 'alternating' current pickup relay 46.

havingan armature 47'; and when said pick- 'up relay 46 is energized andy its armature 471`is inits upper' position, thecontrol relay is energized according tothe following circuiti' e Y e Oar-cuit Numbcri'wee.

From thevbattery 39, yconductor 40, control relay 32, `conductorsl1and 50, armatui'ej'pf thepickup relay 46 in its upper position, and conductors l51 andl `back tov the battery: 39.1 Y f f icc 'the:control relay 32 is normally-'supplied The -Ypickup relay '46V is connected by conductors48and49`to the secondary of Aa length of the train and forms an electrical connection between the train control apparatus on the different motor cars or locomotives.

Operation: The general operation of the system herein disclosed is the same as that described in my prior application Serial No. 38,132, filed July 6, 1915, and to illustrate the features of the present invention, this operation will be only briefly eX- plained. The cutout rela-ys 19A will be at rfirst assumed to be in their normal deenergized condition andV then their utility pointed out.

For the first case to be considered, assume that the train is about to enter the block B, and that neither theV block B nor C is occupied. Under these conditions the track relays 10 and 101 of the blocks B and C respectively will be energized from the corresponding track transformer 71 and 72, as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art of railway signaling. Since the track relay 10 is energized and its armature 13 is in its upper position, a high difference Y of potential exists between the ramp R and the track rail 1 according to the following circuit:

From the ramp R, conductor 56, armature 13 in its upper position, conductor 57, cutout relay 19, conductor 58, high voltage tap. V17 of the transformer 15 and conductors 16 Circuit Nmnber Five.

From the high Voltage tap 17 of the transformer 15, conductor 58, cutout relay 19, conductor 57, armature 13 of the track relay 10 in its upper position, conductor 56, ramp R, shoe 27, conductor 53, primary of Vthe transformer T, conductor 52, frame of the train 25, through the wheels and axles to the track rail 1, and thence by conductors 8 and 16 back to the other terminal of the secondary of the transformer 15.

The current flowing in the primary of the transformer T induces a. current in the secondary of said transformer which flows through the pickup relay 16 through the conductors 118 and 19, energizes said pickup relay and causes its armature 47 to be raised and complete the pickup circuit number three for the control relay 32. In this way. at the Vsame time that the normally closed circuit number two for energizing the control relay 32 is broken by raising the shoe 27, another circuit for energizing said control relay 32 is established; and, consequently, the armatures of said control relay are maintained in their upper position.

Vhen the rst wheels andV axle of the train leave the block A and enter the block B, the Ytrack relay 10 will be denergized. as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art of railway signaling, and, the armature 13 of said track relay will drop and interrupt the circuit numher four. Since the block C is assumed to be unoccupied its track relay 101 is energized and a low difference of potential will be created between the ramp R and the track rail 1 according to the following circuit:

Circuit Number Sir.

armature 17 is raised a low difference of potential between a ramp and a track rail is suilicient to hold said armature 47 in its raised position; but said low difference of potential is not suticient to cause said armature to be raised from its lower position. ln other words, high Voltage is necessary to cause the armature e? of the rela;7 t6 Vto pickup, whereas a low voltage is sulicient to hold up said armature -l-T. This characteristic of the relay -l-' may be Obtained in different ways, as will be appreciated by .those skilled in the art. and a detail description of the construction of tre relayv 16 is deemed unnecessary.

From the foregoing it can be seen that when neither the blocks B nor C are occupied, and a train approaches the ramp lil. the control relay if energized. will remain energized. and if deefnergized. will be renergized; and subsequently, when the train enters the block B. the contini rela.'Y 32 will remrin energized and prevent the operation of the control device l.

For the next case to be considered. assume that the block B is not occupied, but

'ofthe'.train remain on the block A.

that the block C is occupied by a train, and Y that the train is about to enter the block B. Under these conditions the track relay 10 ot the block B is energized, and a high differencelof potential exists between the ramp .r andthe track rail 1, according to the circuit numberiour, in the same way as hereinbetore described,*whilezall ot the wheels the train enters the block B and the track relay 10 is oenergized, no ditl'erence of potential will exist between the ramp R and the ltrack rail, since the armature 141 is in its lower position and interrupts the circuit number. six because the block section C is assumed to be occupied.

lVhen no difference of potential exists between the ramp R Vand the track rail the armature 4T ot the pickup relay 46 drops and interrupts the pickup 'circuit lnumber three for the control relay 32; and since theV shoe 27 is in its raise'dposition, the normally closed circuit number two tor the control relay 32 is interrupted. Consequently, 'he armatures and 34 of the control relay 32 drop; andthe armature 33 opens a break in the normally closed circuit number two for said control relay,l so that after the contact springv 30' has restablished Contact with the contact 'member 31, the control relay 32 will not be re`e'nergized, since the normally closed cir- -cuit number two will nevertheless be 'incomplete.Y In other words, whenever the control relay 32 is denergized and its armature/33 drops, said control relay will remain Vdeenergized until the relay 46 picks up and closes the pickup circuit number three for said control relay 32. rl`he dropping' ot the armature 34 interrupts the supply of current to the device K and causes said device K to be set into operation to control vthe train under conditions where it Vshould proceed cautiously and be prepared y to stop at the end of the block y VFrom the foregoing', it can be seen that when the block C is occupied the train control Ydevice l is set into operation whenihe train enters the block B. lilith this general description of the operation ot the Y parts of the system located along; the trackway, which description ot the operation will be found Jfully amplied in said application Serial No. 38,132 hereinbetore referred to. the particular arrangement ot de- ',vices and circuits embodying` this inventiony can be pointed out more clearly.

Assume that the train includes two or more motor cars or locomotives, each ot which is provided with acontact shoe 27. thc control relay 32, the pickup relay 4G and' the associated Velectrical devices' and connections; and further assume that train is long enough to span the distance between two successive ramps, so that the When vvoltage tap 1171, conductor531, cutout rel y From the'` ramp R, conductor 56, armature 13A ofi the track relay 10 in -itslowerpositiom f conductor 59, armature 201, assumed to be in its lower position, conductor 601, armature 141 ot the track relay 101 in its upper1 position, conductor 611,low voltage tap 1l of the secondary ot the'transtormer 151, liieh 191, conductor 571,'armature 131,'foit the track relay 101,` in its upperposition, conductor 561, ramp R1', contactshoe 27 ot the forward motor car, conductor 53, bus 54', conductor 53,shoe 2T of the rear moto'rfcar back to the ramp B. rthis short circuit et part of the secondary of the transtoriner151 not Vonly causes improper and undue current to' iow through said secondarye but alsoprevents the eiiergrizationl of the Vpickup 'relays 46, even though traffic conditions are such that said relays should be energized. However, in tracingl the above circuit number seven the action of the cutoutrelays 19 was disregarded; and it can be seen that as soon Vas current flowsV to the ramp-R1 it passes i through the cutout relay 191 and raisesits Y;

armature 201 to interrupt the connection between the transformer 151 and the preceding` ramp l: ln short, the action ot the cutouf relays 19 is suchthat as soon as current is being` drawnitroni one ramp the supply of current to the preceding ramp is interrupted.

Consequently, the cutout relays 19 prevent any improper or excessive How ot current when a train including twoor more motor cars or locomotives is longer than the distance between two succeeding; ramps. From a consideration oi -the circuits shown anflf hereinbetore"traced it can be seen that, in

effect, there are two partial circuits associ ated with each ramp, that the Vcutout relay is included in onfe of said partial circuits `at each ramp and that the armature of said cutoutrelay is included in the othery partial circuit of the preceding' ramp.

The electrica'll o ierated devices aloncFA the trackway are shown 'as arranged and designed to be operated by alternating current alone, but it is to be understood that by a simplemodiication, which will be apparent to those-skilled in the art et railway signaling', these ldevices be so constructed, that motives may be used and vany number ofl contact shoes may be employed without ati'ecting the operation of Vthe system. Various other changes in the vparticular arrangement of circuits and parts shownand described may be made without departing' from the invention or thev particular physical embodiment thereof. c

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment oi my invention, and explained the opera- Ation and principle thereof; nevertheless, I

desire, to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of theV idea of means underlying my invention.`

What claim `as new and desire to-securc by Letters Patent of the United .Statesisz l. In a system for automatically controlling'railway trains, in combination: a`plurality oit vehicles each carrying contactdevices; 'an automatic train control apparatus carried by each of said vehicles; a controlling circuit for each train control apparatus f including the Contact device and the' frame of the corresponding vehicle; a continuous conductor connecting said contr'ollingcircuits of all of said vehicles; insulated con-V tact rails located along' the trackway for said vehicles and adapted to cooperate with" Vsaid contact devices; two partial circuits 'associated with each contact rail for creating a difference of Lpotential between said contact rail and the track rails; and a means associated with each contact rail and operated by the flow of current in one of said partial circuits of that contact rail for interrupting the other partial circuit of the preceding contactV rail.

2. In al system for automatically controlling railway trains, in combination; insulated contact rails located along the trackway for the vehicles; a partial circuit associated with each contact rail'for creating a ditl'erence or potential between said contact rail and the track rails; a second partial circuit associated with each contact rail for creating a different dil'erenceof potential between said contact rail and the track rails; and means associated with each of said contact rails and operated by the flow of current in said first-mentioned partial circuit for interrupting'said second partial circuit oit the preceding contact rail. l

3. In a systemcfor automatically controlling railway trains, in combination: a trackway divided into electrically isolated blocks; an insulated ramp at theentrance to each block; a source of current and altrack relay constituting a normally closed track circuit; sources of high and low voltage associated with each ramp; a partial circuit associated with each ramp and closed when the track f relay of the corresponding block is energized for connecting said source of high voltage across said ramp and the track rails; a second partial circuit associated with each ramp and closed when the track 'relay of the corresponding block is energized and the `track relay of the preceding block is denergized, said second partial circuit connecting said source of low voltage across the'preceding ramp and the track rails; and means operated by the How of current in said first-mentioned partial circuit for interrupting said second-mentioned partial circuit.

4. In a system for automatically controlling railway trains, in combination: insulated contact rails located along the trackway for said vehicles; sources of high and low voltage associated with each contact rail; two partial circuits each including said contact rail, the track rails and one of said sources; a translating device included in one of said partial circuits; and normally closed cooperating contacts opened when said translating device is energized and included in said other partial circuit.

5. In a system for automatically controlling railway trains in combination: insulated contact rails located alongthe trackway for said vehicles; sources of'high and low" voltage associated with each contact rail; means responsive to the presence of a vehicle on the' adjacent trackway for controlling the connection between said sources and the corresponding contact rails; a line wire arranged to connect one of said sources at times to vthe preceding contact rail; and means operated by the flow of current to any one of said contact rails for interrupting the line wire leading to the preceding contact rail.

6. In an automatic train control system, a

vehicle and a track therefor, impulse devices located at intervals along the track and adapted to communicate electric impulses to a passing vehicle, means rendered effective by the communication ot impulses from any one of said impulse devices for renderingl the impulse device next in the rear thereof inactive.

l' A I means associated with eacli impulse device en the -traclrand rendered active by. the

transmission cf current tliereiironrto a veli'i'cle l'c'r rendering the impulse devicenext -in tl'iere'ar thereof inactive. Y

` Spl'n an automatic train conti-cl system, a'

`train including' a-number of vehicles and a tra-ck 'tli ere"r`or,v means comprising `infipulse `devices along' tlie track and ccperating'ele- 'ments 'oneacli vehicle ier transmitting curl` rentimpulses from the track te the ve iicle at diffe-rent control peints, automatic train central apiaratus onV eaclil Vvehicle go rned by said zcurrent impulses, 'la conductor for transmitting the current impulses tro'inany veliic'le'oi: tl'ie train to lthe others, andnrc-ans for) preventing an -electrica connection ea;- isting Vbetween any ltivo successive impulse yde *ices alongtlie track.

" 9L VInA an automatic'train "control system,a

c track dividedint'o track circuit sections, iniqpulse' Vdevices located at intervals along tlie the Vtrackf and.' adapted to coperA controlling impulses thereto, a. control "circuit associated With each impulse device, and

track and adapted to coinniii'nicaie electrical impulses to a passing vehicle, vpartial .circuits igor supplying' current tosaid impulse dericemand -nieaius iior teinpcrarily inter- `rupting tlie partial circuit associatedivitli each impulse device as the vehicle readies the yncxtgimpulse device in advance.

lOL'ln an automatic train control system, impulse devices located atintervals .along i epivitli means on a passing vehicle and transmit u sc vices, yand-eachliai'ing train control appai-i l electro-responsive means included in' the control circuit foreach impulse kdevice for governing the control circuit of the limpulse device next in the rear. 'Y i y l1. In an automatic train control system for railrcads liaif'ingy tracks; divided .inte

blocksfea'ch provided with a normally 4close-:l

track circuit,'impulse devices located au n-4 tervals along tlie track, accntrel circuit io.-

each impulse deviceV governed by 'sonic ci said track circuits, andV electro-responsive ineansiincluded inthe coiitrelcircuit fer each impulse device' for 'governingtrie control circuit associated with. the impulse dcvice neXt in the rear. n Y i y 12'. In an automatic vtrain control syst in' formlroddsv hiwiug tracks divided int-:i

i control apparatus on the several Vvehicles interconnected for simultaneous' -opewitien` and means asSOciated with ea'cli impulse device of sucli sliort .blocks and iiiiiuenc'eci u v its cooperation 'with said veliiclef'c rried u. Vmeans'for rendering the impulse device next .iiistlierear inactivei 

